Security operatives attached to the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, engaged themselves in a battle for supremacy yesterday at about 3pm.
Both Amaechi and Wike have accused each other of assault after their security aides clashed in Port Harcourt at Nwanja Junction along the Trans Amadi Road on Saturday.
According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, said that Wike was attacked by officers of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and soldiers attached to the minister of transportation while allegedly attempting to assassinate him.
“The SARS Personnel and Soldiers in the Minister’s convoy hit down the Governor’s Escort Rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car.
“Also part of the attack, was the Commander of Rivers SARS, Mr Akin Fakorede who received the Minister of Transportation at the Port Harcourt International Airport and accompanied him on his trip.”
“The Minister of Transportation had over 50 SARS Personnel, Soldiers and Mobile Policemen in his motorcade.”
Mr. Wike was unhurt, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Amaechi’s Media Office in a statement yesterday said, “In a blatant show of naked raw power, Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi this (yesterday) afternoon narrowly escaped being shot by security men attached to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. His car wasn’t that lucky though. The car was vandalized with a broken side mirror.”
Report of the sad incident was immediately lodged at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Rivers Police Command, headed by Zaki Ahmed,
He stated that although he eventually passed through unhurt, his car was “vandalised with a broken side mirror”.
“Accompanied by cars of many of his supporters, the minister’s black jeep was intercepted and blocked at the junction by the security motorcycle outrider attached to Wike after two cars had passed through.
“One of the two cars had security men assigned to protect the minister in Port Harcourt. Suddenly, gun-toting security men attached to Wike’s convoy, surrounded the minister’s car, threatening to shoot him.
“They hit the car, tried to smash the windscreens, back and side windows and broke a side mirror. All through this attack, Amaechi remained calm, inside the fortified Jeep. While the attack occurred, Wike remained inside his vehicle.”
The statement said the minister eventually passed through after the intervention of the security team on ground to protect him in Port Harcourt.
“However, when governor Wike got to the point where the incident occurred after Amaechi’s vehicle had gone by, his security men blocked the road again, dragged out from a vehicle and thoroughly beat up a policeman attached to protect Amaechi in Port Harcourt. The policeman’s rifle was also taken from him,” the statement said.
Ubaji’s rifle had not been recovered, with Ewelu and other injured policemen still receiving treatment in undisclosed hospitals in Port Harcourt, as at press time.,
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